This homemade raspberry jam is the perfect swirl-in for cheesecake lovers! With a bright, fruity flavor and just the right amount of sweetness, it elevates any dessert from simple to stunning. Whether you're making raspberry swirl cheesecake bars, bites, or a full cheesecake, this jam is thick enough, vibrant, and made with real ingredients — no pectin required!
I make this jam a little thinner than store-bought preservers so that the knife could create nice swirls in my Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Bites. But it also works well when spreading onto toast or a toasted bagel.
Jump to:
Ingredients You'll Need
- Raspberries Fresh
- Sugar
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Cornstarch
How to Make Raspberry Jam for Cheesecake
The first thing is to zest and juice a lemon, setting them aside. Next, wash the raspberries in a colander and let the raspberry drip dry.
Grab a 2-quart saucepan and turn the burner to medium-high heat.
Add the washed raspberries, sugar, and lemon zest to the saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring most of the time. Then turn it down to medium, so you have a low boil.
Take the back of a spoon to crush the raspberries. This takes about 10 minutes to fully crush all the raspberries while it is on a low boil. You want to reduce the water out of the liquid.
In a small cup, add the cornstarch and the lemon juice and mix. Add this to the pan with the raspberries and stir. If you are going to use this for jam cookies, I would double the cornstarch and lemon juice for added thickness.
Stir for about 5-7 minutes until it has thickened some. It will not be as thick as preserves, but it needs some body to the jam. Let it cool in the pan off the heat for about 10 minutes.
Pour the raspberry jam into a glass container and let it sit for half an hour before putting the top on and setting it in the refrigerator. I usually do this the day before, so the jam has time to thicken a little more overnight.
Jam Tips for Perfect Cheesecake Swirls
- Use cooled jam only
- Swirl gently with a knife or skewer
- Layer the jam swirls in the pre-baked cheesecake
FAQ's
For thumbprint cookies, I like thicker jam since it stays in the well and does not spread down the sides as easily. I make sure that the preserves I purchase for thumbprint cookies is a good brand.
The jars I use are canning jars that have a sealed lid. This type of container you can store in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. This is fresh fruit, so it does not have the preservatives that store jam has so it has a shorter shelf life.
It would be great on toast or a bagel. I would add some cream cheese on a bagel and then add the jam on top. YUM! I would also use it to swirl into oatmeal and yogurt or one of my favorites on top of ice cream.
If you are going to use this for thumbprint jam cookies, I would at least double the cornstarch and lemon juice for added thickness and see if it needs more. This is a thinner consistency, so it can be swirled easily throughout a cheesecake.
Other Jams and Fillings and Curds
Recipe
Jam for Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
We'll email a link of this post to you, so you can come back any time!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (12 ounces) Raspberries Fresh
- ¼ cup (50 g) Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Cornstarch
Instructions
- Wash and clean the raspberries and let them drain. Zest and juice a lemon then set these aside.
- In a 2-quart saucepan, add the raspberries, sugar, and lemon zest. Heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Turn the heat back to medium (you want a low boil) and start to break up the raspberries by smashing them against the sides of the pan. I use a wooden spoon since it has a broad flat part on the back of the spoon.
- Continue stirring and breaking up the raspberries for about 10 minutes. Next, mix the cornstarch and lemon juice in a small cup to get the lumps out. Next, stir it into the raspberries so the jam thickens on a low boil. Continue for about 5-7 minutes, then take it off the heat. Leave it in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- Finally, pour the jam into a glass canning jar with a seal on the lid. I let it cool down for about 30 minutes before I seal it with the top and put it into the refrigerator. I like to let it sit overnight in the fridge before using it.
Share this recipe
Notes
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
Join the Discussion